Yukness Ledges Loop

Yukness Ledges Loop is a difficult 8.6 km (5.3 mi) circuit from Le Relais Day Use Shelter. It follows the lakeshore to West Opabin, climbs to Opabin Plateau, crosses the Yukness Ledges Alpine Route to Lake Oesa, then descends to Lake O’Hara’s east shore and returns along the lake. Allow about five hours for the rocky climbing, route-finding and a stop at Oesa. A 25-point elevation profile shows roughly 400 m of cumulative ascent; a regional estimate is closer to 460 m, so treat the gain as approximate. The four-hour estimate is quicker than we recommend for most hikers.

The stored route includes the Le Relais approach and shoreline return. It excludes the optional Opabin Prospect out-and-back (about 2.1 km round trip), the separate spur to Opabin Lake, and the longer Lake O’Hara Alpine Circuit with Wiwaxy Gap, Huber Ledges and All Souls.

West Opabin climbs away from the forested lakeshore over steep, rough ground. The trail emerges into Opabin’s hanging valley, where a bridge crosses Opabin Creek and meadows sit beneath the surrounding rock walls. The short signed spur to Opabin Prospect is a separate out-and-back and is not included in the route distance.

At the plateau junctions, follow the markers toward Yukness and Lake Oesa. The route to Opabin Lake is a separate steep branch; taking it adds distance and does not belong to this loop. Give yourself time to check the junction signs before leaving the main path.

The alpine traverse crosses loose scree and boulder fields, with short scrambles and exposed ledges. Cairns and painted markers guide the way, so this is best for hikers comfortable with uneven alpine terrain and route-finding. From the ledges, Lake O’Hara opens below; for a photo, use the dark rock edge as foreground with the lake and peaks beyond.

The route continues toward Lake Oesa, then follows the regular Oesa trail downhill past Lefroy and Victoria lakes to the east shore. Expect steep rocky steps and switchbacks. Lawrence Grassi built stone steps on this approach, a lasting piece of the trail’s history.

Opabin is a hanging valley above a prominent band of rock, while Lake Oesa sits among tilted slabs and copper-coloured quartzite cliffs. The loop moves from the green lake margin into high, open terrain and back down through a chain of small alpine lakes. The changing terrain is the point of the route, but it also explains why the distance alone understates the effort.